The issue of housing was pressed again as Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley and some members of council had a face-to-face meeting on Friday federal Minister of Families, Children and Social Development Ahmed Hussen.
The meeting, brokered by Burnaby North-Seymour MP Terry Beech, also included Couns. Sav Dhaliwal and Pietro Calendino
“This afternoon, Min. @HonAhmedHussenand I met with Mayor Hurley, Councilor Calendino and Councillor Dhaliwal. We discussed one of the top concerns facing our community: affordable housing,” Beech tweet.“With the help the National Housing Strategy, our government will work together with all levels of government to ensure the creation of more affordable housing in Burnaby and North Vancouver.This trip is Minister Hussen’s first to BC since becoming the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, and he made it clear that increased affordable in our community is a top priority for our government.”
Burnaby recently opened its first supportive housing project on Norland Avenue to house more than 50 people who were homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Hurley met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 1 and expressed the city’s frustration in dealings with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to get projects off the ground.
CMHC has “difficult” processes to wade through and a lot of “red tape” that Hurley told the NOW in June doesn’t feel appropriate in regards to projects spearheaded by a city the size of Burnaby.
“Sometimes their regulations seem a bit ridiculous,” Hurley said.
Hurley said cities – compared with small groups – should be recognized for having skilled staff, meaning there should be a more streamlined process when a city, a province and the feds develop a project together.
Hurley just wants to deliver projects “quicker” during the housing crisis.
